Mine skip loading apparatus

ABSTRACT

THE DISCLOSURE ILLUSTRATES APPARATUS FOR LOADING ORE INTO A CABLE-SUPPORTED ORE-CARRYING MINE SKIP. A DEFLECTOR ASSEMBLY IS TELESCOPED OVER THE END OF A CHUTE CONTAINING ORE TO BE LOADED INTO THE MINE SKIP. THE DEFLECTOR ASSEMBLY IS DISPLACEABLE FROM A POSITION WHERE IT BLOCKS FLOW OF ORE FROM THE CHUTE TO A LOADING POSITION WHEREIN IT PROJECTS INTO THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF THE MINE SKIP. IT THEN PERMITS FLOW OF ORE INTO THE SKIP WHILE AT THE SAME TIME   DEFLECTING THE ORE TOWARD THE BOTTOM TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF MATERIAL ON THE SIDE WALLS. AT THE SAME TIME, A BARRIER IN THE FORM OF A CHAINLIKE CURTAIN IS GUIDED INTO THE MINE SKIP FOR LOADING TO ABSORB THE IMPACT OF ORE THAT REBOUNDS FROM THE DEFLECTOR ASSEMBLY.

Nov. 7, 1972 w, O'CONNOR 3,702,140

MINE SKIP LOADING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 22, 1971 INVI'ENTOR. WILLIAM M. o CONNOR BY 9'1. 4Z

ATTORNEYS.

U.s. Cl. 214-622 United States Patent Oflice Patented Nov. 7, 1972 3,702,140 MINE SKIP LOADING APPARATUS William M. OConnor, Westport, Conn., assignor to Avco Corporation, Stratford, Conn. Filed Feb. 22, 1971, Ser. No. 117,636 Int. Cl. B65g 11/14 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure illustrates apparatus for loading ore into a cable-supported ore-carrying mine skip. A deflector assembly is telescoped over the end of a chute containing ore to be loaded into the mine skip. The deflector assembly is displaceable from a position where it blocks flow of ore from the chute to a loading position wherein it projects into the path of travel of the mine skip. It then permits flow of ore into the skip while at the same time deflecting the ore toward the bottom to minimize the impact of material on the side walls. At the same time, a barrier in the form of a chainlike curtain is guided into the mine skip for loading to absorb the impact of ore that rebounds from the deflector assembly.

The present invention relates to material handling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for loading material into mine skips.

In modern day mining operations the min skip, which is used to transport ore from a mine to the surface, is subjected to rigorous operational conditions.This is particularly true for mining operations in very deep mines, for example, at depths of 10,000 ft. This extreme depth necessitates the lightest possible construction for the mine skip so as to increase its pay load and make the mining operation more efficient.

Normally the mine skip is constructed with sufiicient strength to support the static weight of the ore that it receives. However, the present method of loading these skips uses various closure devices such as a simple guillotine-type gate that opens the end of a chute filled with ore to permit the ore to flow into the mine skip. The ore impacts against the side walls of the mine skip with great force and in short order causes abrasion sufiiciently to require constant maintenance. This necessitates a highly reinforced side Wall for the mine skip to Withstand the impact which adds to the weight of the mine skip and substantially reduces its pay load. In addition, the ore still causes abrasion to the side walls of the mine skip, thus requiring frequent routine replacement and overhaul of the mine skip. All of these factors tend to decrease the productivity of a mine and adversely eflect profits.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to load a mine skip in such a way that the side walls of the mine skip experience minimum impact from the material being loaded.

In one aspect of the present invention the above ends are met by a deflector used in conjunction with a chute that carries material to be loaded in a mine skip of the abovegeneral type. The deflector is displaceable between first and second positions. In the first position it blocks flow of material from the chute. In the second position the deflector projects into the path of movement of the mine skip for simultaneously permitting flow of material into it and deflecting the material toward its bottom.

The above and other related objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from a reading of the description of the disclosure shown in the accompanying drawing and the novelty thereof pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a mine skip loading apparatus embodying the present invention together with a mine skip with which it may be used;

FIG. 2 is a 'view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is illustrated a side wall 10 of a vertical shaft in which a mine skip, generally indicated by reference character 12, is supported by a system of cables 14 trained over pulleys 16 journaled on a support frame 18 for the mine skip 12. The cables 14 extend to the upper end of the vertical shaft where they are connected to a suitable device for reeling and unreeling the cables 14 to raise and lower the mine skip 12.

The mine skip 12 has elongated side walls 20, 22 and 24 extending from a pivotable bottom wall 26 to form a chamber that holds ore or other material. The bottom wall 26 is opened when the mine skip 12 is at a discharge station to distribute ore into suitable ground conveyance devices. The mine skip 12 has a loading opening 28 formed in the upper portion of side wall 24 and in a portion of a top wall 30. An inclined chute 32, having a generally rectangular cross section, is positioned in an inclined tunnel 34 leading from a suitable position where the ore is mined. The chute 32 has suitable supports (not shown) to elevate it above the floor of the tunnel 34. The chute 32 has an open discharge end 36 adjacent the mine skip 12.

In the past the above arrangement, with a simple guillotine-type door to control flow of ore from chute 32, resulted in considerable abrasion to the side walls of the mine skip 12. However, in accordance with the present invention a deflector, generally indicated by reference character 38, is incorporated to minimize impact of the ore on the side walls of the mine skip 12.

The deflector 38 comprises side walls 40 and a bottom wall 42 telescoped over the chute 32. An end wall 44 is secured to the side walls 40 and positioned so that when the deflector 38 is displaced toward chute 32 end wall 44 covers the open end 36 of chute 32. An opening 46 is provided in the bottom wall 42 adjacent the end wall 44. An upper wall 48 is secured to the side walls 40' and extends to an integral generally triangular shaped hood 50.

A series of ties 52 support a pair of lower rails 56 parallel to the longitudinal axis of chute 32. A series of wheels 60 on axles 61 and 70, rotatably mounted on the side walls 40, guide the deflector 38 for movement only along the longitudinal axis of the chute 32. Stops 66 on rails 56 limit the movement of deflector 38 toward mine skip 12. A pair of upper rails 58 are supported parallel to the longitudinal axis of chute 32 by spaced boxlike frame members 54 mounted on ties 52 (see FIG. 2). A pair of upper wheels 62, journaled on the upper end of side walls 40, cooperate with rails 58 to prevent deflector 38 from rocking due to the tremendous weights imposed by the ore being loaded into the mine skip 12.

The deflector 38 is displaceable from its illustrated loading or extended position where wheels 60 are against stops 66 to the closed or retracted position, shown in phantom, wherein the door 44 closes chute 32. The deflector 38 is displaced between these positions by a suitable actuating device connected to the deflector through cable assemblies 64.

The deflector 38 further comprises a flexible curtain barrier formed from chain links 68. The curtain of chain links 68 is secured to the bottom wall 42 of the deflector 38 by the axle 61. The chain is supported for uniform sliding movement by a platform 72 that extends underneath the end of chute 32. A roller assembly 74 is journaled for rotation normal to the longitudinal axis of the chute 32 and adjacent the lower end of platform 72 to facilitate sliding of the curtain.

During operation of the above apparatus, the mine skip '12 is lowered to the illustrated loading station while the deflector is in its closed position. The chute 32 is continuously, maintained full 'of ore or other material to be loaded; When the mine skip is in position at the loading station theactuating device releases the slack on cable 64, thus permitting deflector 38 to be displaced to its illustrated position wherein it projects into the mine skip 12. When this is accomplished the end wall 44 simultaneously permits flow of ore into the skip 12 and deflects the ore toward the bottom of the skip 12, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 1. At the same time the chain curtain 68 is low. ered into the mine skip and laysalong the side wall 24. As a result, the ore that rebounds from the end wall 44 strikes the chain curtain instead of the side wall 24 of the mine skip l2. As the loading progresses the Weight of the mine skip 12 greatly increases. The cables 14 are so long that the increase in weight causes a substantial stretch in the cables and lowering of the mine skip from the il-' lustrated position to the lower position shown in phantom lines. The hood 50 abuts the upper. wall 30 of. the mine skip 12 and acts as a guide for the mine skip as itis lowered during loading to the phantom position. This enables the loading operation to be unimpaired by the stretch in the cables. I v j I When the loading is completed the'actuating device pulls on cables 64 to pull the deflector 38 and the chain 68 out of the mine skip 12. This in turncloses off the open end 36 of the chute 32 to prevent further flow of ore. The hood 50 at this time acts as a trap and collector for any excess ore that results from the closing of chute 32. When the deflector 38 is in its closed position out of the path of travel of skip 12, the cables are reeled up to elevate the skip 12 to the surface where door 26 is opened and the ore unloaded. When the skip 12 is lowered for a successive load of ore the movement of deflector 38 permits the excess ore in hood 50 to fall into the mine skip 12 along with the ore coming from chute 32.

The loading apparatus described above substantially minimizes the amount of ore that impinges on theside walls of the mine skip 12. This results in several benefits. One of these is that the side walls do not have to be beefed up to support the direct impact ofthe ore coming into the skip, thereby permitting a lighter weight and a greater pay load. The second advantage is that the deflector 38 takes substantially all of the wear, thereby minimizing the effective erosion on the mine skip itself. In contrast to the time consuming and complex job of removing the mine skip for overhaul and replacement, the removal of the deflector, head is relatively simple. This enables substantial benefits in eflicient and profitable mining operation. I e v While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in connection with loading orefit'may be used to load other materials with equal advantage.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as novel and desired to be secured by Letters Patentof-the United States is:

1. Apparatus for loading material into anelongated vertically oriented mine skip having side walls, a bottom.

open end of said chute and a loading position where-.

in said deflector projects into the path of vertical displacement of said mine skip and into, its loading opening for simultaneously permitting flow of material into. said skip and deflecting material toward the bottom wall thereof; said deflector comprising:

side walls and a bottom wall telesc'oped' over'said 2 a chute;

art end wall secured to said side walls and positioned to close off the open end of said chute when said deflector'is in said closed position and to permit flow of material when the deflector is-in said loading position; -saidbottom wall having an opening adjacent said end wall for permitting material to fall to the bottom of said mine skip after the material has been deflected by said end wall when said deflector is in said loading position; where the impact of material on the. side walls is greatly minimized. I

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wheerin said deflector means further comprises means for holding excess material when said deflector is displaced to said closed position and for permitting the excess material to drop into said mine skip when said deflector is displaced to said. loading position.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 further, comprising: a'flexible barrier'secured to said deflector headvand displaceable therewith; I ,1 means for guiding said flexible barrier into saidmine skip and along one side wall thereof when said deflector is displaced to said loading position for preventing material that has rebounded from said de-, flector end wall from striking said mine skip side wall. 4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said flexible barrier comprises a curtain formed from a plurality of chain links. 5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said barrier guide means comprises: i

a roller'journaled for rotation normal to the direction of movement of saiddeflector adjacent the position of said end wall when said deflector is in said-closed position; and e a platform adjacent said roller and extending under- I neath said deflector. 6. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said deflector further comprises: i

an upper wall portion extending from said end wall;

and a hood extending upward from said upper wall for collecting excess material as'said deflector is displace from said loading to said closed position. I

7. Apparatus as in claim 6 further comprising:.

a pair of upper and lower deflector guide rails sup-- ported parallel to and adjacent the end of said chute;

a plurality of wheels journaled for rotation on said deflector and positioned on the deflector guiderails to guide the deflector for movement only along the longitudinal axis of said chute. 1

8. Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said flexible barrier comprises a curtain formed'from a plurality of chain links.

9. Apparatus as in claim'8 wherein said barrier guide.

means comprises:

a roller journaled for rotation normal to the direction of movement of said deflectoradjacent the position of said end wall when said deflector is in said closed position; and

a platform adjacent-said roller and extending "underneath said deflector.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,612,364. 10/1971 Coucher 214-622 2,190,064 2/1940 Gooder 214--622 1,775,970 9/1930 Ross 214-622 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary' Examiner L. J. ORESKY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

